Protocol Tron

[21] | [Division]

"Remember to be gentle with her now, the shell's still in the healing process."

Ebony showed a warm smile as he carefully handed the little girl her pet turtle. The father patted his daughter on the shoulder as they both exited the room.

Upon leaving, Ebony walked back into the patient room, rubbing his white coat. There were still more animals that needed treatments. He's already slightly fatigued from working the whole day, only now realizing there were still three more hours until his shift ends.

Next was a small Yorkshire Terrier with decaying and rotten teeth. He looked at himself at the closest mirror, firing his imaginary finger guns at himself. Striking a pose and letting out a smirk, he was ready.

"Lights..."

Through magnifiers and lights, it's clear this pup needed some serious dental work. A checkup and a thorough brushing was in order. It's an efficient start and an improvement, allowing the animal to proudly showcase its teeth without inducing nausea in others.

"Camera..."

A parrot was brought forward, and this one had some words for the vet. The owner awkwardly looked away as his bird continued to swear. Scans were taken and pictures were shot, screening the fractured wing.

"Action."

Now comes another dog, one with an injured paw. He was surprisingly energetic and happy to see the kind vet. Emergency care was administered and paws were bandaged. An extra treat is thrown towards the little pup's way for being such a good boy.

Tick tock goes the clock, time's almost up. His shift is nearly over. The vet had already stepped outside, leaving through the rear exit. In his hand was a bottle of iced tea. Anyone in his position would smoke, but not him.

He faced a back alley, with graffiti scattered over the nearby walls. Spilled garbage was unkempt, and the smell was sickening up close.

This was Camden, New Jersey after-all. Not exactly the nicest place on Earth. Less than a mile away from Philadelphia, with nothing but a narrow river dividing the cities from one another. A casual walk from here was all it took for him to essentially cross into another state altogether.

Many would call this area ghetto. Hood and gang violence was fairly common. Unsurprisingly, it involved a major part of the black community. Cause let's be honest, not trying to be racist but it's the truth lol.

Ebony had his fair share of gang wars. Having spent the past twenty-five years in the hood, he knew just how dangerous that lifestyle was. That's why he was fortunate enough to leave that life behind in pursuit of medicine for animals. There were other ways of making money that didn't involve trafficking drugs, robbing or performing drive-bys.

His line of work brought in the big bucks, and all of it would be saved. Although his love for pets could never be swayed, he had other plans.

Just as he was about to toss his empty water bottle towards a bin, he heard the drift of a nearby car. It caught his attention, forcing him to stand still and look towards the end of the alleyway. And there it was. A speeding black van drove directly for him.

The tires squealed as the vehicle suddenly turned a 180º and stopped on a dime right in front of him. Immediately, the backdoors flew open as a few men rushed outside. They were dressed in black and red gear.

Ebony never even had a chance to speak when he was forcefully grabbed by his limbs and dragged towards the van. Just as he tried to scream, tape was slapped across his lips and he was tossed inside the vehicle.

All the doors were shut once more, and the van sped off.

It all happened so fast.

════ ⋆★⋆ ════